A practical guide to buying betel nut for your first and ONLY time

Disclaimer: Chewing betel nut is a dangerous habit to pick up with a high probability of leading to an oral cancer – a cancer that you are 50% likely to die from

Betel Nut in Chinese

Betel nut is called 檳榔 (Pinyin: bīnláng) in traditional Chinese. Betel nuts come from the Areca palm and are chewed as a stimulant. They are used across Asia (by almost a tenth of the world’s population) with especially prevalent use in Taiwan where they are known as “Taiwan’s chewing gum.” Betel nuts are used by all demographics, but are most popular among working-age men, who use the nuts to stay awake for long hours of work in industries like driving, construction, and fishing.

How to chew Betel Nut

The betelnut is not really a nut, but a fruit categorized as a berry. As the husk ripens and turns green, the nut inside becomes soft enough to cut or eat. People chew the nut rolled in a small bit of leaf. It brings an explosion of flavor that is equivalent to roughly 6 cups of espresso. Patrons describe the experience as if an “anesthetic had been applied to their mouth” and taste as “acird flavors with a woody texture.”

Where to Find Betel Nut in Taiwan

Betel nut can be found everywhere in Taiwan. They are sold frequently at ‘corner stores’ that sell cigarettes, betel nuts, and beer all in one place. To find one just look for any store like this that looks like picture below with the words 檳榔 on it and you’ve found a place to buy betel nut.

If you’re on the highway then you’ll probably see the neon-light glassbox shops with women inside. Those are also betel nut shops.

These bright neon signs above glass box stores are staffed by scantily clad women known as “Betel Nut Beauties.” Betel Nut Beauties are young women in revealing clothing who sell betel nut and cigarettes in brightly lit glass enclosures along the highway. The neon-topped kiosks appear in urban, suburban and rural settings alike and are a trademark feature of Taiwan’s cities and countryside.

Betel Nut Shops in Taipei

If you’re in Taipei, you can use Google Maps to find the nearest betel nut store near you. Many are low-tech and might not be listed — but if you search 檳榔, you’ll find results like the ones below.

Taipei Betel Nut Shops

三德檳榔 110台北市信義區永吉路130號

店小二檳榔店 105台北市松山區台北市松山區光復北路142號

紅兵檳榔店 110台北市信義區林口街56號

王牌檳榔 10491台北市中山區建國北路一段28號

王牌檳榔 10491台北市中山區建國北路一段28號

How Much Does Betel Nut Cost in Taiwan?

It general costs about 50 NTD （台币） to buy a bag (包） of betel nut (檳榔). A small bag will usually come with 5-7 nuts in it. Just one single nut is usually referred to as a unit (利). Noteworthy, this is the same phonetic sound as the word li which means “tits.” At seedier places you will see signs for “buy one bag get two units free” which carries a much different meaning.

Chinese Words to use with Betel Nuts

To order betel nut you can usually get by with basic Chinese. “I want to buy this,” “我要买这个” will get you pretty far. But we’ll teach you a few extra words you might need to get the transaction done. Also, trying to use some Taiwanese will make you look cooler!

The Dangers of Betel Nut

The Taiwan government is looking to curb the use of betel nut for multiple health reasons. Each year, 5,700 Taiwanese men are diagnosed with oral cancer of which 2,300 will eventually die from. Around 9 out of 10 oral cancer patients in Taiwan have a habit of chewing betel nut and Taiwan’s incidence/mortality rates for oral cancer rank among the top two or three in the world.

Regular betel nut chewers have red-stained lips and teeth. But over the long-term, betel nut causes hundreds of tiny abrasions to form in the mouth creating an entry point for many of the cancer-causing chemicals. Precancerous chewers develop white or red lesions inside the mouth, that can rapidly progress to grotesque flesh-eating tumours.

Unlike other cancers, Betel nut induced oral cancers are difficult to hide, leaving sufferers physically and psychologically devastated. Sometimes, even after surgery, they still can’t perform basic functions like expressing emotions because the lower jaw also has to be cut depending on the scale of the cancer.

The Taiwanese government is helping people detect the disease more quickly by providing one million free screenings to help people quit betel nuts. In 2013, these measures helped cut betel nut usage rate in men by nearly half. At the same time, the government is trying to reduce the domestic supply of betel nuts by offering subsidies to farmers to cut down their trees and plant alternative crops like tea, citrus fruit or mango.Some 4,800 hectares of betel nut farming lands looks to be replaced

Also, since 2014, anyone caught spitting betel nut juice in the capital of Taipei is fined and required to attend withdrawal classes. Plus, the betel nut beauties have been subject to clothing restrictions.Taiwan is also trying to incentivize local farmers to change crops and cut the supply of the betel nut. Some 4,800 hectare of betel nut farming land is expected to be planted with crops

Sam works as CEO of TutorMandarin – an online learn Chinese tutor service that focuses on teaching students how to speak Chinese using an innovative learn Chinese app and PC Software. The APP is free to download and comes with a free 1-on-1 class, 2 unlocked courses, a full language evaluation, and daily Chinese articles. Sam has lived in China for 5-6 years in Beijing and Suzhou as well as Taipei for over a year. He has been studying the Chinese language and Chinese culture even longer.

]]>https://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/12/22/guest-post-how-to-try-where-to-buy-betel-nut-in-taipei-taiwan/feed/0samintokyoSome users say betel nut cures a hangover in no time. Qui Zhen-huang with photo of oral cancer lesionWe started youtubing again! – How to run a Marathon in Japanhttps://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/12/13/we-started-youtubing-again-how-to-run-a-marathon-in-japan/
https://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/12/13/we-started-youtubing-again-how-to-run-a-marathon-in-japan/#respondWed, 13 Dec 2017 07:28:56 +0000http://languagelearningcouple.com/?p=640]]>Howdy everyone – Just a quick announcement – we started youtubing again and will posting regular videos about our learning progress and new tools that we are using.

In this new video – we are sharing about how to run a marathon in Japan! – Check it out below.

]]>https://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/12/13/we-started-youtubing-again-how-to-run-a-marathon-in-japan/feed/0samintokyoJapanese Business Vocabhttps://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/11/27/japanese-business-vocab/
https://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/11/27/japanese-business-vocab/#respondMon, 27 Nov 2017 11:39:14 +0000http://languagelearningcouple.com/?p=638Read More Japanese Business Vocab]]>The below chart includes Japanese Office Vocabulary that is great for learning.

Kanji

Hiragana / Katakana

Romaji

1.

会社

かいしゃ

kaisha

Office / Company / Corporation / Firm

2.

会社員

かいしゃいん

kaisha in

Office Worker

3.

株式会社

かぶしきがいしゃ

kabu shiki gaisha

Public Company / Joint-stock Corporation

4.

有限会社

ゆうげんがいしゃ

yuugen gaisha

Limited Company

5.

企業

きぎょう

kigyou

Enterprise / Company

6.

大手企業

おおてきぎょう

oote kigyou

Big Enterprise / Well-established Company

7.

中小企業

ちゅうしょうきぎょう

chuushou kigyou

Small to Medium Enterprise

8.

営業部

えいぎょうぶ

eigyou bu

Sales Department

9.

開発部

かいはつぶ

kaihatsu bu

Development Department

10.

人事部

じんじぶ

jinji bu

Personnel Department

11.

総務部

そうむぶ

soumu bu

General Affairs Department

12.

事務所

じむしょ

jimu sho

Office

13.

事務員

じむいん

jimu in

Office Clerk

14.

従業員

じゅうぎょういん

juugyou in

Employee / Worker

15.

社長

しゃちょう

sha chou

Company President

16.

副社長

ふくしゃちょう

fuku sha shou

Vice President

17.

部長

ぶちょう

bu chou

Department Manager

18.

課長

かちょう

ka chou

Section Manager

19.

係長

かかりちょう

kakari chou

Group Leader / Unit Head

20.

専務

せんむ

senmu

Executive Director

21.

総支配人

そうしはいにん

Sou shihai nin

General Manager

22.

取締役

とりしまりやく

tori shimari yaku

Company Director / Board Member

23.

上司

じょうし

joushi

Superior / Boss

24.

部下

ぶか

buka

Subordinate

25.

派遣会社

はけんがいしゃ

haken gaisha

Temporary Worker Agency

26.

派遣社員

はけんしゃいん

haken shain

Temporary Worker

27.

同僚

どうりょう

dou ryou

Colleague / Coworker

28.

判子

はんこ

hanko

Personal Seal

29.

印鑑

いんかん

inkan

Personal Seal

30.

企画書

きかくしょ

kikaku sho

Project Proposal

31.

新製品

しんせいひん

shin seihin

New Product

32.

書類

しょるい

shorui

Document

33.

受付

うけつけ

uke tsuke

Reception Area / Information Area

34.

面接

めんせつ

mensetsu

Interview

35.

通勤ラッシュ

つうきんラッシュ

tsukin rasshu

Commuter Rush

36.

残業

ざんぎょう

zan gyou

Overtime Work

37.

出張

しゅっちょう

shucchou

Business Trip

38.

有給休暇

ゆうきゅうきゅうか

yuukyuu kyuuka

Paid Leave

39.

給料

きゅうりょう

kyuuryou

Salary / Wage / Pay

40.

ボーナス

bo-nasu

Bonus

41.

年金

ねんきん

nenkin

Annuity / Pension

42.

保険

ほけん

hoken

Insurance

43.

名刺

めいし

meishi

Business Card / Name Card

44.

欠勤

けっきん

kekkin

Absence from Work

45.

欠勤届

けっきんとどけ

kekkin todoke

Report of Absence / Notice of Absence

46.

辞表

じひょう

jihyou

Letter of Resignation

47.

お客さん

おきゃくさん

okyaku san

Guest / Customer / Visitor

48.

御中

おんちゅう

onchuu

Messrs (Addressing the other company at the beginning of letter)

49.

敬具

けいぐ

keigu

Sincerely Yours (Used at the end of letter)

50.

会議

かいぎ

kaigi

Meeting

51.

会議室

かいぎしつ

kaigi shitsu

Meeting Room

52.

コンピューター

konpyu-ta-

Computer

53.

プリンター

purinta-

Printer

54.

コピー機

コピーき

kopi-ki

Photocopier

55.

ファクス

fakusu

Fax Machine / Facsimile

56.

電話

でんわ

denwa

Telephone

]]>https://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/11/27/japanese-business-vocab/feed/0samintokyoTop 5 JLPT Study Apps – Androidhttps://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/08/27/top-5-jlpt-study-apps-android/
https://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/08/27/top-5-jlpt-study-apps-android/#respondSun, 27 Aug 2017 15:02:36 +0000http://languagelearningcouple.com/?p=615Read More Top 5 JLPT Study Apps – Android]]>The JLPT is not just a test that measures Japanese – it is a test that measures how well you are at taking tests that measure Japanese……

Wait…. what?

Okay anyway – if you are on this page it means you are looking for the best apps to learn how to pass the JLPT – here they are.

YOMIKATA Z
A great app that allows you to study vocabulary and grammar points in a sentence format. All words in this app are broken down by jlpt level and its highly customizable. I recommend it as the best.

Learn Japanese NHK
Mostly good for JLPT n5 Listening practice – this is a versatile app with high quality materials for a beginner that are engaging.

JLPT Prepare
Divided by level and segmented into vocabulary – grammar – kanji ; this app is very well organized and tests you with questions that are from sample exams.

JLPT SRS
A simple interface that allows the user to harness the power of spaced repetition flash cards to expedite their japanese learning.

Do you have a suggestion for a good japanese learning app? Feel free to leave a comment below.

]]>https://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/08/27/top-5-jlpt-study-apps-android/feed/0samintokyoSleep Hacking and Language Learninghttps://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/08/24/sleep-hacking-and-language-learning/
https://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/08/24/sleep-hacking-and-language-learning/#respondThu, 24 Aug 2017 03:43:03 +0000http://languagelearningcouple.com/?p=598Read More Sleep Hacking and Language Learning]]>People want to know how to improve memory retention and how to shave off the amount of time it takes to learn new words.

This can happen quite easily – but here are some general guidelines for getting a good nights rest.

Put your phone in a different room – Put your phone in a different room it will force you out of bed when the alarm goes off and it will get radio / electric activity away from your brain.

Go to sleep before 11PM – again – circadian rhythm gets disrupted and your brain shoots off hormones to keep you awake if you stay up past 11pm.

Dont eat anything at least 3 hours before bed. Eating before bedtime is just stupid – it also makes you fat.

If you do these four things – your quality of sleep and vicariously your quality of language learning will improve.

I have read several articles that show that quality sleep can provide you with a significant performance boost when it comes to retaining new vocabulary and processing information within your brains language center.

]]>https://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/08/24/sleep-hacking-and-language-learning/feed/0samintokyoDuolingo Japanese Reviewhttps://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/06/23/duolingo-japanese-review/
https://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/06/23/duolingo-japanese-review/#respondFri, 23 Jun 2017 06:46:30 +0000http://languagelearningcouple.com/?p=586Read More Duolingo Japanese Review]]>So…. the time has finally come…. sort of!

Duolingo has launched on the mobile application and they’re saying that its 65% done for the desktop version.

I have been using duolingo on and off very spurradically to pick up vietnamese as a hobbyist – but the audio and learning methodology are quite nice and linear.

I don’t have much to report now other than the fact that the audio for the program is quite authentic and I am looking forward to use the program more and more in the future!

Please stay tuned for an in-depth review of this Japanese language learning application.

]]>https://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/06/23/duolingo-japanese-review/feed/0samintokyoHow to say “No” in Cantonesehttps://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/06/19/how-to-say-no-in-cantonese/
https://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/06/19/how-to-say-no-in-cantonese/#respondMon, 19 Jun 2017 13:31:03 +0000http://languagelearningcouple.com/?p=453Read More How to say “No” in Cantonese]]>Funnily enough, there is more than one way to say “no” in Cantonese depending on the situation and what you’re trying to express. In this post let’s explore the different ways to say NO in Cantonese.

唔係 (m4 haih) – No; incorrect

The first character is a fourth tone (mm) sound and when coupled with a verb is transforms the verb into a negative or the opposite meaning. For example,係 (is/to be) and唔係 (isn’t). The following is a fourth tone (haih) sound almost like you are saying “hi” but with a deep voice and essentially means “is” or “to be”. You’d use this to express that something is incorrect. For example,

“Is this fake?”係唔係假嘅?” (haih m4 haih2 gaa3 ge)? – “No.” 唔係 (m4 haih)

唔係呀 (m4 haih aah)

For added emphasis you can add an (aah) sound at the end. This can also mean “Are you kidding?” 唔係呀 (m4 haih aah). Of course, depending on how you say it.

冇 (móuh5) – Not have

This character is the replacement for 沒有 to “not have” or “not exist”. You’ll also see this character “無” (mouh4) which is used for more formal situations. It has a similar meaning of not to exist and is pronounced similarly but the a different tone.

唔得 (mm4 dak1) – can’t/unable to do

The literally meaning is to not be able to something for whatever reason. But I’ve also heard this being used for people expressing that they won’t do it or it’s impossible to do.

唔可以 (mm4 ho yih) -may not/cannot

This is similar to can’t or be unable to do, but it’s usually used if given instruction to someone else or to not allow permission to do. It’s a bit more formal than using 唔得 (mm4 dak1).

唔使 mm4 saaih – (no need /no use)

The literal translation would be to not use or to not have a use or purpose. So it’s often used to express not needing to do something.

唔要 mm4 yiu (not need/not want)

In this case, you would say mm4 yiu if you didn’t want something. One of my favourite phrases is “唔要罷就” (m4 yiu baah jauh) which basically means “Take it or leave it”.

唔想 mm4 seung (not want to do something)

I feel like this goes hand-in-hand with 唔要 because they are often easily mixed up! They both mean ‘to not want’ but they are used in different situations and have different nuances. Here, ‘mm4 seung’ is mainly used to express that you don’t want to do something.

Anything I missed? Comment down below!

]]>https://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/06/19/how-to-say-no-in-cantonese/feed/0nkarincThe Best Online Course for Learning Japanese Vocabulary – How long does it take to learn Japanese vocabulary with a flashcard application?https://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/02/04/the-best-online-course-for-learning-japanese-vocabulary-how-long-does-it-take-to-learn-japanese-vocabulary-with-a-flashcard-application/
https://languagelearningcouple.com/2017/02/04/the-best-online-course-for-learning-japanese-vocabulary-how-long-does-it-take-to-learn-japanese-vocabulary-with-a-flashcard-application/#respondSat, 04 Feb 2017 02:39:41 +0000http://languagelearningcouple.com/?p=423Read More The Best Online Course for Learning Japanese Vocabulary – How long does it take to learn Japanese vocabulary with a flashcard application?]]>Disclaimer: We have not updated this in forever! I am doing an MBA in Japan so its been hard to find time for an update – but I am currently cramming for a Japanese exam and I am inspiring myself by returning to blogging. Look forward to – infrequent – updates!

6,000 Words – A good base knowledge of Japanese vocabulary.

How much time does it take to learn 6000 words in Japanese? Well to “learn” the word in memrise – it takes about 1 minute per word – which would be 600 hours if you completed the course – excluding review.

The tricky part is finding out how often you need to review.

Sebastien Leitner – who developed the leitner flashcard system in the 1970s says that you need about 5 repetitions to “learn” a word – from my personal experiences i would say that it takes me about 20-30 repetitions before i can quickly recall a word. This also can change depending on what you consider a repetition (is listening to it during a tv program counted?) so be careful!

But I would say the math could work out like this –

6,000 Words X 2.5 Minutes = 15000 Minutes

15000 / 60 Minutes = 250 Hours

If you spent an hour a day it would take you 250 days or around 8 1/3 months.

If you did 2 hours per day – it would take you around 4 months.

3 hours per day and you can do it in 2 months.

Sounds simple right? Wellllll…. not so much.

Have you ever tried to learn something for 3 hours a day on a consistent schedule? For most people – the time cost is impossible.

Are you de-motivated? Are you too tired, too busy or just generally uninterested in spending the time it takes to learn Chinese?

Don’t worry, you aren’t alone. Demotivation is a common problem that everyone will experience throughout the course of their Chinese learning journey at one point or another.

What matters is how you deal with it when it does.

When you’re at the point of non-study but you still daydream about one day speaking Chinese, you a have a “one day attitude”.

A “one day attitude” is when you continue to put things off by telling yourself that “one day” i’ll finish my textbook, or “one day” I will pass HSK.

But you need to remember…. “One day” is not a day of the week. If you want to get and stay motivated, you need to act now.

So how do we re-motivate ourselves when the going gets tough?

Try the following 5 tips…

1. Start a new course

Starting a new course from scratch will allow you to get over the feeling that you have given up on your previous Chinese learning goal and it will allow you to build momentum and consistency. Depending on what self study system you use for vocabulary, there are many online flash card tools that will help you by providing you with free courses. You can also take formal textbook courses at places like coursera and udemy.

2. Watch TV in Chinese

Watching Chinese TV Series’ will make you want to better understand what characters are saying. It will also immerse you culturally. Doing this will lead to an increased desire to study. I recommend sitcoms because they are goofy and repeatable with dialogue that is very deliberate. I Apartment is a good starting point.

3. Listen to Chinese Music

Same as watching TV, this will help you to get back into the groove. I recommend popping onto youtube and searching for something like c-pop playlist. You could combine the two and watch the voice of China which has a nice mix of banter and singing to get your Chinese listening engine revved up.

4. Set daily goals that are way too easy

Creating small goals that you know you will reach on a daily basis will create a habit of achievement and it will also boost your confidence in your learning. Set yourself a small obtainable daily goal. I.E.Study 10 new vocabulary words. Memorize 1 new sentence. Talk in Chinese for 10 minutes with a language exchange partner. etc.

5. Schedule lessons

Having lessons with your teacher will allow them to coach you through your slump and it also gives you extra motivation of a pending deadline. Teachers are a wonderful slump breaker because they know your learning style after taking lessons with you and they know how to engage you in a way where you will retain the information. Every time you learn a new phrase or grammar point and you understand it well, it is a magical moment that you cannot help but get motivation from.

If you try these and set a low expectation on yourself you will be surprised at how easily you start to get into a routine schedule for your studies.

We would like to hear from you… what do you do when you don’t feel like studying and how do you cure your study slumps?

Leave a comment below!

]]>https://languagelearningcouple.com/2016/03/10/5-ways-to-break-your-chinese-learning-slump/feed/0samintokyoDemotivationalmotivate to learn ChineseJLPT – N4 After Reporthttps://languagelearningcouple.com/2015/12/08/jlpt-n4-after-report/
https://languagelearningcouple.com/2015/12/08/jlpt-n4-after-report/#respondTue, 08 Dec 2015 03:33:32 +0000http://languagelearningcouple.com/?p=397Read More JLPT – N4 After Report]]>We have finished the JLPT N4 and I believe that we passed.

Initial takeaways – the JLPT’s grammar and reading section were brutal. I was able to pass vocabulary. I hope that I got the minimum points on the listening.

We will register for the N3 to be taken in the summer. I think that we will fail.

Taking the JLPT has given us a goal to shoot for and something to keep us motivated to learn. For the next test I will definitely need to complete grammar books and practice tests more strenuously. If I did pass the N4 it was due to the vocabulary section.

I will post our results as soon as we get them. Look out in the coming weeks for Japanese Business Vocabulary articles.